Jenson Button's glorious tale of scaling the heights in Formula One is child's play to world champion

The 32nd member of Formula One’s most exclusive band — the champions’ club — teased us all yesterday about his prospects of signing a new contract and of starting a family.

Jenson Button was as relaxed as you can imagine ahead of Sunday’s inaugural AbuDhabi Grand Prix but still struggling to come to terms with winning the title less than a fortnight ago in Brazil.

He spoke of the text he had received from his engineer Andrew Shovlin. ‘He had obviously had a couple of shandies,’ joked Button.

‘But he said, “I am at home with my lovely family and I have just realised what we haveachieved. We are the best in the world at the moment, the best at what we do and I can’t wait for my kids to be old enough for me to tell them what we achieved.”

‘That is something that excites me about my future — having a family and telling them, “Your daddy was world champion”.’

Relaxed couple: Michibata and Button

He suddenly saw the headlines in his mind’s eye — and possibly heard the voice of girlfriend, Jessica Michibata, telling him to get on with it — and added: ‘But that is going to be like 20 years time — before you say, “Jenson can’t wait to have babies”.’

There are more pressing concerns, like whether to stick at Brawn or move to another suitor, such as McLaren, when his contract expires after this season-closing race in Abu Dhabi.

VIDEO: Preview of the new Abu Dhabi Grand Prix circuit...

‘I have started discussions with Brawn, but they won’t be serious until after the weekend,’ he said. ‘I have been approached by other teams. I can’t say who.’

We can fill in some gaps. Brawn are stalling on doubling his salary from £3million to £6m because they cannot afford it.

Mercedes, who are looking into buying a 75 per cent share in Brawn and renaming the team in their own image, might yet resolve the team’s cash problems in time to re-sign Button on the improved terms he legitimately feels entitled to as world champion. That is the most likely outcome.

Meanwhile, McLaren are touting themselves as an alternative. It would mean Button partnering Lewis Hamilton.

Changing seats: Will Button and Hamilton line-up for McLaren next year?

Mercedes must find a way to extricate themselves from their 40 per cent stake inMcLaren before moving in with Brawn. It is understood that the divorcing couple willfinally come to an agreement involving Mercedes supplying engines to McLaren.

Button’s desire for now is to bathe in his own success.

‘I have been relaxing in Dubai for a few days,’ he said. ‘At the moment, I am not thinking about winning the title again. I am just enjoying this one.’